Fans of Molly Kochan’s podcast will recognize the story told in FX and Hulu’s latest series, Dying for Sex, which stars Michelle Williams as the host and Jenny Slate as her best friend, Nikki Boyer. The drama, which premiered Friday, tells the story of Kochan, who received a Stage IV cancer diagnosis and decided to leave her husband of 15 years to embark on a journey of self-discovery.
Supported by her best friend, Boyer—who also executively produced the series—Kochan set out on a quest to learn more about herself and her truest sexual desires.
While the series takes a few minor creative liberties, it’s based entirely on the very true and heartbreaking story of Molly Kochan’s life. By 2015, Kochan had already undergone chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, radiation therapy, and a breast reconstruction when she was rediagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer.
Knowing that this meant that her diagnosis was terminal, Kochan embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. She left her husband and endeavored to explore her sexuality in her final years, which she documented in a podcast also called Dying for Sex.
The idea for the podcast, which documented and dissected nearly 200 of Kochan’s escapades, came in 2018 when she and Boyer met for lunch following two dates Kochan had already been on that morning. Eventually released by Wondery in 2020, a year after Kochan’s death, the six-episode podcast quickly became a hit and has since been downloaded five million times.
“As they peel back the layers, we learn that Molly isn’t just grappling with breast cancer: She’s also dealing with some trauma from her past,” the podcast synopsis reads. “Along the journey, the friends explore bigger themes that affect us all—like healing, forgiveness and what do we do with the time we have left.”
In one episode, Kochan discussed a problem in her marriage that can plague any couple. “Sexually, we had difficulties before cancer came along,” she said. “Right before I got diagnosed, I was kind of looking to recharge our sex life… and then cancer showed up.”
Kochan’s memoir, Screw Cancer: Becoming Whole, was also published in 2020, one year after Kochan died at age 45. One notable fan of Kochan’s came in the form of New Girl creator Elizabeth Meriwether, who adapted it for the television series alongside Boyer.
Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years’ worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
